KIRKUS REVIEW

Klaassen (Hansel and Gretel, 2016, etc.) discusses the foundational
structures of fiction in this how-to guide to writing.

According to the author, the
essential one-two punch of writing fiction is the scene, which he defines as “a
passage of writing in which a character attempts to achieve a goal,” and what
he terms the “sequel,” “a passage of writing in which the character reacts to
the resolution of a scene.” Although people are generally familiar with the
first concept, Klaassen argues that the sequel is just as important, as it places
the events of a scene within an emotional context for the character and, thus,
for the reader. The book gets into specifics regarding the purposes, goals, and
ideal structures of both scenes and sequels, as well as other types of passages
that one might encounter (including passages of interiority, activity, and
problem-solving), in addition to troubleshooting tips for editing a manuscript.
Klaassen also includes an extensive glossary of craft terms that apply to
fiction so that readers may learn how to properly think and talk about their own
projects. The author’s prose is crisp and clinical, and his book reads quickly
despite its interest in minutiae. In this follow-up to his earlier, more comprehensive
guide to fiction, 2015’s Fiction-Writing
Modes, it’s fun to see him go
deep into one specific area of the craft. It seems, though, that he might have come
up with a better term than “sequel” for the introspective passages that follow
scenes, given its other, more well-known meaning. The book also devotes an inordinate
number of pages to simply explaining its focus, parsing through various
definitions and related concepts borrowedfrom other writing guides. That said, most of Klaassen’s dissections of the
different types of passages are quite thoughtful and illuminating. Although this
book isn’t as valuable an aid as Fiction-Writing
Modes, it does serve as a useful companion work, and more experienced
writers may particularly benefit from its critical analysis.

A rare and mostly engaging dive into
the nitty-gritty of scene construction.

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